5 corned beef and cabbage leftover makeovers

It’s March 18th. The last Guinness has been poured, bagpipes have faded, and your Irish eyes are anything but smiling thinking of all the leftover Saint Patrick’s Day fare taking up space in your fridge. Corned beef and cabbage the next few nights, right? Wrong! If you’re wondering how to make over your Irish dinner, here are 5 of my simple and delicious re-purposing ideas for your 17th seconds 🙂

Delicious recipes to honor those corned beef leftovers!

All the fixings of Saint Patrick’s Day dinner make for some tasty leftover creations!

1. Corned Beef Reubens Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add shredded sauerkraut and heat until it begins brown and is warmed through. Remove from the pan. Add in the sliced corned beef and heat until warmed through. Remove from the pan. Layer rye bread, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, kraut, corned beef, and another piece of rye bread. Add a pad of butter to the pan and add the sandwich. Brown like a grilled cheese on both sides, remove from the heat and enjoy!

2. Corned Beef and Cabbage Pizzetes Ah, I could turn anything into a pizza 😉 Start with lightly toasted English muffins, small pita halves, or fresh pizza dough rolled out thinly and cut into small rounds. Stick with traditional red sauce or use Russian dressing or a light swipe of ricotta as your base. Top with shredded cabbage, mozzarella cheese, and chopped pieces of corned beef (think pepperoni). For muffins or pita broil for about 4 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. For fresh dough, bake at 500 degrees until dough to cooked and cheese is melted, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Corned Beef Hash This ones a classic. As a great twist, try using it as filling for an omelet! Take leftover russet potatoes and chop into small bite size pieces. Add to a large skillet 1 large chopped red bell pepper and 1 small yellow onion with a drizzle of EVOO. Sauté over medium high heat until softened. Add in potatoes and corned beef chunks. Season with salt and pepper and cook in skillet until browned and crunchy. Serve with a fried egg, still a bit runny 🙂

4. Mini Bites This is literally my new obsession. Cups, cups, and cups! Wonton wrappers are an absolutely genius way to create fun bite-sized finger food! Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Layer two wrappers, off aligned from each other, in muffin tins. Bake for about 7 minutes. Fill cups with a light layer of Russian dressing or spicy brown mustard, corned beef chunks, shredded cabbage, and top with shredded Swiss cheese. Bake for another 7-10 minutes until warmed through, melty, and delicious! Makes a great app for post-holiday get together!

5. Irish Cottage Pie All the fixings from a good Saint Patrick’s Day meal are the perfect ingredients for this cottage pie, better known as Shepherd’s Pie, a dish traditionally made with leftovers. If that’s not reason enough, measurements are optional, depending on your family size! Just sauté some chopped onions, garlic, and carrots in a pan. Add in your chopped corned beef and warm through. About a TBS or 2 of Worcestershire sauce, a splash of chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste, and a pad of butter tossed in flour stirred in gives you the perfect base. Got some peas and corn in the freezer? Toss ’em in! Layer your beef mixture, some shredded cabbage, and mash those left over potatoes to top. Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes until potatoes are nice and brow up top. Serve with my favorite Irish soda bread for sopping!

Use the sides in your leftover dishes as well

The key to these dishes is to cook your corned beef right…no amount of Guinness is too much! (For the cook either 😉 )

These are just a few fun ideas to use up what’s in the fridge and experiment with your leftovers. There’s nothing like getting every penny from your dinner. Using everything ensures you get the most of your time (corned beef dinners usually simmer for 4-5 hours!) and your money (try buying your corned beef a few weeks in advance and freezing it until St. Patty’s Day. It’ll save a ton on grocery store mark ups!). These recipes will get you through another holiday’s leftovers while leaving your family Saint Patrick’s Day sane…until Easter 😉